Congregants unable to sway Henderson residents in school expansion debate

Members of the New Song Church of Seven Hills continued their attempts Saturday to convince residents of nearby homes that the church's proposed school expansion won’t cause more traffic problems or decrease home values.

But the skeptics remained steadfast in their claims that more students would create dangerous traffic problems.

“I think it’s irresponsible for the city to increase traffic in that area,” said Wes Drown, who has lived in the Coventry neighborhood for two years.

The meeting was the second and final gathering requested by the Henderson City Council to solve the disagreement between the neighbors and the school.

The New Song Church has 59 students in preschool and kindergarten classes. The proposal, if approved, would rezone the property to allow three more students to attend.

Neighbors don’t believe it would stop at 62 students. Many people from the surrounding Coventry neighborhood said traffic would become worse and expressed dismay at the school's long-term plan to expand to a K-5 school and add 78 additional students.

Jodie McMahon, who lives in Henderson but not in Coventry, said it’s the school district that needs to be held accountable, not the school.

“I feel they’ve mismanaged their funds and failed to build another school,” McMahon said. “The Clark County School District needs to alleviate the overcrowding at Del Webb (Middle School).”

School officials said the Henderson City Council will vote on the proposal April 9.